


Next of Kin

by SunflowerSupreme



Series: Whumptober 2020 [25]
Category: Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types, Wiedźmin | The Witcher Series - Andrzej Sapkowski
Genre: Gen, Infection, Military, War, Whumptober 2020
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-30
Updated: 2020-10-31
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:21:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 807
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27288583
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SunflowerSupreme/pseuds/SunflowerSupreme
Summary: He didn’t know what to think when he got the letter.Redania and Temeria were constantly fighting one another, so the news that there’d been a skirmish wasn’t a shock to him at all. What was a shock was that one of the soldiers had apparently put Geralt down as their next of kin.Whumptober Day 29: I think I need a doctor
Relationships: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia & Jaskier | Dandelion
Series: Whumptober 2020 [25]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1958032
Comments: 6
Kudos: 51





	Next of Kin

**Author's Note:**

> This is an AU that takes place fairly early in Dandelion & Geralt’s friendship. It’s long before Geralt figures out that Dandelion is not actually a real name (he’s slow, bless him)

He didn’t know what to think when he got the letter.

Redania and Temeria were constantly fighting one another, so the news that there’d been a skirmish wasn’t a shock to him at all. What was a shock was that one of the soldiers had apparently put Geralt down as their next of kin.

The solider’s name - one _Julian Alfred Pankratz_ \- wasn’t familiar to him at all, so that didn’t explain why he’d been chosen. He thought about ignoring it, assuming it was a mistake, but he was close to the skirmish - which was how the envoy had found him - so he took a day off from the Path and found the Redanian encampment.

His letter was only enough for him to be informed, rather bluntly, that Private Julian was still alive, but that visitors weren’t allowed inside.

But the commander saw him and said that if he dealt with a drowner nest he’d invite Geralt in as his personal guest.

It took less than an hour to handle the drowners, and soon he was back, demanding entry and explanations. He was taken to a nurse who promised she would take him to his friend.

“How is he?” Geralt asked, glancing at the lines of sick men, laid out in cots in the hastily constructed medical tent. He didn’t recognize any of them, but she just walked straight past, apparently none of them were Julian.

“Feverish,” she explained.

“What was the wound?”

“An arrow to his leg. His discharge paperwork has already been completed.”

Geralt frowned. “Discharge?”

“Yes, he’s too wounded to continue to remain on the front, he’ll be honorably discharged and it will be noted with the draft office, so he won’t be called up again.”

“Where will he go?”

“I thought you were here to take him home.”

 _No_ , Geralt thought. _I’m only here to solve a mystery_. But he remained quiet, admitting that he didn’t know Julian now would only keep him away from the wounded man, and then he’d never get any answers.

“Here he is,” she said suddenly, pulling Geralt from his thoughts. She was standing at the bedside of a young man, his eyes were closed, his face flushed, and his blonde hair in ragged curls.

Upon seeing the man, the mystery was solved immediately, but with it came even more questions that he lacked answers for.

 _Dandelion_.

It took all of Geralt’s self control to keep his face impassive as he thanked her for her help, kneeling beside the cot the poet was laying on. As she left she promised to notify him as soon as the paperwork was completed.

 _What happened?_ The Witcher wondered, studying Dandelion’s face with a frown. _Haven’t you got any other family to take care of you?_ He’d barely known Dandelion a full two years, they’d traveled together a probably ten months in total, so why would Dandelion have given Geralt’s name?

More curiously, what was Dandelion doing being drafted? He was Oxenfurt trained, he must have family money, connections, relatives would who protect him from a draft.

But, most importantly, what could Geralt do to help him? Leaving him wasn’t an option. Though he barely knew him - a fact which was becoming more and more obvious - he didn’t know how to help.

He studied the man’s flushed face, tilting his head and noting his symptoms. _Feverish. I can smell an infection, although it’s not terrible and it could be from anyone else in the room, though I suspect it’s from him_.

“I’m here to see my brother!”

Geralt ignored the loud man, no doubt some lord or another that fancied himself as someone important. Most likely some lord who had dodged the draft, coming to check in on a sibling who had thought going to war would be a great time. He shook his head.

“Nobles are fools, Dandelion,” he murmured to the poet. “Stay away from them, please.”

“Julian!” the man cried, rushing up to Dandelion’s other side and staring at him in horror.

Geralt stared at him. “Who are you?” they both asked, staring at one another across the unconscious bard.

“I’m his brother!” said the noble.

“I’m his next of kin,” argued Geralt, holding up the letter. _If you are his brother, then why the deuce did he send for me?_

“Oh,” said the noble, his voice slightly strained. “You must be his friend, then, I imagine?”

“I am,” confirmed the Witcher. “Forgive my suspicions, but he’s never mentioned you-”

“He wouldn’t have,” the man said, shaking his head. “Listen, sir Witcher, I’ve already secured him a bed at a local hospital, he’ll receive far better care there. If you’d like, you may accompany me and I shall explain on the way.”

A bed at a proper hospital was far better than Geralt could offer Dandelion, so he nodded. “Fine.” 

**Author's Note:**

> HEY YES IT'S THE HALF BROTHER I'VE MENTIONED IN SOME OF MY OTHER FICS, THE ONE THAT LOVES DANDELION AND TRIES TO PROTECT HIM. YOU FINALLY GET TO MEET HIM.


End file.
